Wilder's Transition Team Gets Flooded With Resumes

RICHMOND — The first one was hand-delivered to a campaign aide at 3 a.m. Nov. 8, just hours after Gov.-elect L. Douglas Wilder squeaked into history on a shoestring.

Since then, the resumes have arrived at Wilder's home at all hours of the day, at his two offices, over the fax machine, over the telephone and through friends.

Wilder estimated Wednesday that in the nine days since the election he has received 1,000 job applications. He anticipates getting up to 20,000 before it's all over.

Wilder's administration seems to be drawing more interest than usual because of the immense media attention accorded him as the nation's first elected black governor, said Sandy Bowen, secretary of the Commonwealth, who headed Gov. Gerald L. Baliles' transition team four years ago.

"There is a certain interest in the nature of the historic election. People want to participate in it."

In addition to appointing his personal staff, a cabinet of eight secretaries and numerous department heads, Wilder will also have the opportunity to make hundreds, possibly thousands, of appointments to state boards and commissions over the next four years.

Bowen said Wilder may have a greater chance to make his mark with appointments than Baliles because Baliles reappointed many people who served under Charles. S. Robb. Those people cannot be appointed again.

Nobody on Wilder's staff is giving any hints as to who is being considered for what jobs.

Wilder said he hopes to name a chief of staff within 10 days to two weeks.

"I have promised no one any position," Wilder said. "Neither does anyone have a lock on anything."

It is customary for campaign workers and close advisers to get key administrative positions. On Wednesday, Wilder was shadowed by his long-time friend Jay T. Shropshire, Senate clerk.

Wilder met briefly Wednesday with his Commission on Excellence, a 12-member panel of business, cultural and professional leaders whom he has tapped to help him put together his administration. He told the group, headed by stockbroker S. Buford Scott, that he would give great weight to its recommendations.

Afterward, Wilder said most of the applications he has received so far have been from Virginians, applying for specific jobs. He also said he would be inclined to favor Virginians over non-Virginians for any jobs he may fill.

"I'm not going to set any barriers ... but obviously we would look to Virginians whom we feel have any number of talents to offer," he said.

Several of Baliles' cabinet secretaries have already announced they will leave state government, including Secretary of Human Resources Eva S. Teig, State Superintendent of Public Instruction S. John Davis, Secretary of Economic Development Curry Roberts and Secretary of Finance Stuart Connock.

Sifting through job applications is only part of the task before Wilder and his transition team, which is working 14 hours a day to prepare for Wilder's tenure.

In the background is the prospect of a recount. Wilder beat Republican J. Marshall Coleman by 6,852 votes out of 1.78 million cast, according to an unofficial tally.

Coleman has said he will ask for a recount if Wilder's lead of less than half a percent holds up when the vote is certified Nov. 27.

Wilder has less than two months to put his administration into focus so he can hit the ground running.

"The pressure is immense," said Chris Bridge, Baliles' press secretary. "You're trying to put together the people and programs that will mark your administration for four years - in six weeks."

In addition, Wilder has to wind down his campaign, plan an inauguration and fit in the interviews that news people from around the world continue to request. On Wednesday, he was interviewed by a Dutch television crew and a French newspaper reporter.

One person in his transition office is assigned to simply send out thank-you notes to anyone who helped with the campaign. A second person is sending out personal thank-you notes to all those who have written congratulations to Wilder.

For now, Wilder is signing those himself, press secretary Laura Dillard said. "He loves it. He wants to do it as long as possible."

Wilder said Wednesday that, as he promised during his campaign, he wants to make sure the governor's office is personally responsible for the state's crusade against drugs. "I really think the governor of Virginia needs to know what is going on day to day," he said. "The only way I see to do that is to have the personal touch."

Wilder's transition team already knows, however, that it may be limited in what it can do because of limited resources. Other states around the country are already tightening their belts, and Virginia is expected to follow suit.

In a letter of congratulations to Wilder, state Sen. Hunter B. Andrews, D-Hampton, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, calls the state's financial outlook "sobering."

"Our economy has been on a `roll' for about 86 months, but current indicators would lead us to believe a slow down is occuring," Andrews wrote.

"These facts, coupled with the federal government shifting responsibilities to the state with more mandates for social engineering, are causing a greater need for more state funds."